Two Essex County, N.J., Men Sentenced To Long Prison Terms For Armed Robbery Of Jewelry Store

NEWARK, N.J. – Two Essex County, N.J., men were sentenced to prison today for the armed robbery of the Golden Palace jewelry store in Orange, N.J., U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

U.S. District Judge William J. Martini sentenced Antonio Moore, 45, of Newark, to 188 months in prison. Moore previously pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of using a firearm in furtherance of that robbery. Judge Martini sentenced Charles Madison, 42, also of Newark, to 150 months in prison. Madison previously pleaded guilty to an information charging him with aiding and abetting the Hobbs Act robbery and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. A third defendant, David Williams, pleaded guilty in January 2013 and awaits sentencing.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in Newark federal court:

On Aug. 6, 2012, Moore and Williams robbed the store at gunpoint, while Madison served as the getaway driver. During the robbery, Moore punched an employee of the Golden Palace in the head, restrained that employee and a co-worker with duct tape and telephone cord and took approximately $120,000 in jewelry from the store’s display cases. Law enforcement pulled over Madison’s pickup truck approximately an hour after the robbery and found dozens of pieces of gold jewelry scattered across the back seat of the truck.

In addition to the prison terms, Judge Martini sentenced each defendant to serve three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford in Newark, with the investigation. Fishman also thanked the Orange Police Department and the New Jersey State Police for their investigation and assistance.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew J. Bruck and Chief David E. Malagold of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Organized Crime/Gangs Unit in Newark.

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Defense counsel:
Moore: Mark A. Berman Esq., River Edge, N.J.
Madison: Michael V. Calabro Esq., Newark